Automobile top



,I. VETTER.

AUTOMOBILE TOP.

Mar. 6, 1923.

FILED APR. I8, I92].

Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH VETTER, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE TOP.

Application filed April 18, 1921. Serial No. 462,880.

To all whom it may concewt:

Be it known that I, Josnmr Vnrrnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resldent of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have made an Invention Appertaining to an Automobile Top; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to automobile tops and particularly to means for securing the deck cover to the top frames and bodies of automobiles.

The primary object of my invention 1s to improve on the means disclosed in my former United States Letters Patent No. 1,342,881, dated July 27, 1920, whereby to enhance the practicability and commercial value thereof. A further object of the invention is the provision of a means of the class described having a drip rail feature in connection therewith whereby it may be used around the front edge of a top and also along the side edges of a closed top over the door openings, or in any other place where the drip of water from the top is objectionable. The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while in its broader aspect it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a few only of such embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile top embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the bows or parts of an automobile top and body to which the deck covering is attached by means embodying the invention. Figs. 3 and 5 are cross-sections of slightly modified forms of the front bow deck cover securing means. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a modified form of the rear top bow and deck cover securing means, and Fig. 6 is a cross section of a slightly modified form of the clamping means employed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the customary front and rear bows respectively of an automobile top frame, 3 the upper; back portion of the body frame,

4 the deck covering, 5 the cover back, 6 the spring clamping means or strip embodying the drip rail feature used in connection with the front bow 1 or in other places where it is desired to prevent dripping of water from the deck cover, and 7 the clamping means or strip used in connection with the other bows or covering attaching means.

In the embodiment ofthe invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the front bow l is faced at its outer side by a deck cover engaging channelled how 8, the rear how 2 is faced at its outer side by a channelled bow strip 9, and the body frame part 3 is faced around its rear top edge with a channelled strip 10, each formed from sheet metal. The front strip 8 has its channel formed at its lower side edge with a straight wall 11 turned in at is outer edge to form a flange 11*, while the upper side wall of the channel strip extends upwardly a distance from the channel and is then looped forward and downward upon itself to form an elongated pocket 12 at such side of the channel. The bottom wall of the pocket 12' may be extended rearward near its upper edge to engage any desired extent over the bow 1, as shown at 13, and is provided adjacent to the channel proper but in positionv to be overlapped by the overhanging wall portion 14 of the pocket with an inwardly projecting rib 15. The front edge of the deck cover 4 is intended to extend around the upper edge portion or flange 14 of the channel strip 8 and thence into the pocket 12 thereof, and is provided at its free edge with a bead 16'for engaging with the upper or inner edge of the strip rib 15, whereby such rib coacts with thebeaded edge of the deck cover to resist a withdrawal of the deck cover edge from within the pocket.

The clamping member 6 comprises an elongated strip conforming in length to the length of the strip 8 with which associated and is preferably formed of spring sheet metal with its opposite edges doubled inward and then curved outwardly to form legs having outwardly opening recesses adjacent to their inner ends for receiving the flanges or walls 11 and 14 of the strip, together with any material which may be wrapped therearound, the same as described and claimed in my said former patent. The outer side or head portion of the clamping on the strip 6 is rovided at its lower edge with an outwar ly and upwardly turned portion 17 serving as-a trough for carrying away drippings from the cover edge in the manner of a drip rail.

It is evident that the channel strip 8 may be extended around and along the side edges of the top as far as desired to enable a drip strip 6 to be extended over the door openings of the top, which feature is particularly desirable in closed to constructions.

The rear channel strip 10 is substantially the same as the front strip 8 except that'the lower straight side wall 18 of its channel is provided at its outer edge with an intur'ned flange 19 for fitting into the adjacent leg recess of the clamping strip 7, which clamping strip is substantially the same as that disclosed in my said former Letters Patent.

The channel strip 9, which is used in connection with the rear how 2 is broadened to provide recesses or pockets 20 at opposite sides of its central channel portion, such pockets being formed by the overhanging flange portions 21 of the strip, theunner edges of which are spaced to permit the passage of the respective edges of the deck cover 4: and back cover 5 therearound and to permit the insertion of the legs of; a clamping strip 7 therebetween in holding engagement with the cover strip. The bottom of the strip 9 is provided at each side of its center below the respective free edge portions of the flanges 21 with longitudinally extending inwardly prO ecting ribs 22, which coact with the beaded ends 23 of the deck and back covering to resist an outward withdrawing of the cover edges from the channel. even when the clamping strips 7 are removed.

While I have shown and described the bow members 8 and 9 as forming facing strips for or being mounted on the regular top bows 1 and 2 it will be understood that they may be used alone without being mounted bows 1 and 2 as they are of sufiicient strength for such purpose.

Fig. 3 is the same 'as the front bow and strip construction of Fig. 2, with the exception that a clamping strip the same as the clamping strip 7 is employed inplace of the clamping strip 6 having the drip rail feature in connection therewith.

Fig. 4 illustrates a rear bow cover engaging strip shaped to form the rear bow of the top instead of bein attached to a separate bow member. In this construction the sheet metal in cross section is made of circular or oval form and has an opening along the outer side thereof and a false bottom 24 forming the bottom of the cover edge receiving channel 25 of the bow, such bottom being formed by doubling the metal back along the side edges of the channel and then extending it cross wise of the bow, as shown.

The channel bottom 24 is provided at each side of its center and below the overhangin edge or flange portions of the channel wal with longitudinall extending ribs 26 for coacting with the eaded edges of the deck and back cover strips.

Fig. 5 illustrates a front bow construction in which the metal is shaped to form the front bow and the cover edge and clamping strip receiving channel.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of the clamping strip showing it made solid of rubber or other suitable yielding material. It is found in practice that by providing the bow strips, or the strips for engaging the respective edges of the deck and back coverings with internal ribs for engaging the doubled back beaded end portions of the coverings, that the coverings are quite socurely held in engagement .with the strips before placing clamping strips in engagement therewith thereby very materially facilitating the covering of a top frame.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms wlthout departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a top of the class described, a frame bow having a channel therein with overhanging outer edge walls forming an entrance opening and with an inwardlyprojecting longitudinally extending rib in its bottom portion, a covering having a beaded edge projecting into said opening with itsbead disposed in position to engage the rear or inner side of a bottom rib, and a retaining strip adapted to be forced into the channel opening of the bow and to yieldingly coact with the walls thereof to hold the cover edge in engagement therewith.

2. In a op of the class described, a metalbow having a channel therein with overhanging outer edge walls forming an entrance opening and with an inwardly projecting longitudinally bottom beneath each overhanging edge wall, covering strips having edges projected within the channel around respective edge walls thereof, and beaded at their edges to coact with the inner sides of the-respective bottom extending rib in its" ribs to resist a withdrawal of the covering edges from the bow channel, and'a retaining strip having a portion adapted for insertion into the channel opening and to have yielding engagement with the edge walls thereof and interposed coverings.

3. In a top of the class described, a chanering therein and having its outer portion fashioned to form a drip trough.

4. In a top of the class described, a strip having a channel with overhanging edge walls forming an entrance opening, and a clamping strip having yieldin portions extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to be forced into the channel opening cooperating with edge Walls thereof to yieldingly grip a clamping material therebetween and having an outer portion forming a drip trough.

5. In combination, an automobile top having a channeled cover edge receiving strip and a clamping strip inserted into the channel strip to cooperate therewith to hold a cover edge and forming an integral drip rail at its outer portion.

6. The combination with the frame of an automobile top, of a channeled strip secured to the frame around an edge ortion thereof, and having the outer open side of its channel restricted, and a second strip having for snap engagement within the channel of the first strip, and having its outer portion 7 forming a driprail. 7 The combination with the frame of an automobile top, of a channeled metal strip secured to the frame around an edge portion thereof, and having its mouth portion restricted, and a second metal strip having an outer cross portion with the edges thereof extending inward toward each other and then away from the cross portion in outwardly divergent manner to form yielding flanges for springing engagement within the restricted'mouth ortion of the channel, the outer cross portion of the second strip having its lower edge doubled upon itself and turned outward to form an integral grip trough before forming the adjacent leg portion.

In testimony whereof .I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

J OSE-PH VETTER. 

